Somewhere between the aspiration and Hollywood, is a gulf where many would-be filmmakers are lost. This blog is about recording my insights, mapping the progress and unearthing the truth along the way.

Getting what I came for,
C.M. Sanchez III
Film Student
Brooklyn, NY

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Sundance 2014 Infographics

What immediately stands out to me is that approximately 90% of the films accepted, averaging $750,000 in budget, are from first time directors. How the hell is a first time director acquiring that kind of credibility?

And the question presented in the article is why so many films are hemorrhaging money and why are so many films being greenlit without a market strategy. Distributors aren't likely to get back more than 2% for their investment. It's agreed that higher quality standards and better marketing will see less hemorrhaging.

I think the answer lies in better education and group distribution models led by business-primed filmmakers partnered with VOD specialists. I think films that lead a campaign and become community or niche fanbase flagships will create event releases. This is what all the people giving advice are saying. So where's the problem?

People are lazy. We are poor, ignorant, and lazy. And the winning circle isn't comprised of people that necessarily create "better" art but because they pushed the envelope all the way through, took advantage of being the last men and women standing while others flaked off and what you had were options of the people who didn't give up rather than the people who were the most talented. We'll assume that these are one and the same for argument's sake but we should recognize that the odds appear to be 70/8000: that's less than 1%.

Remember that Sundance isn't the only show out there but if you're gonna compete at all, you gotta ask yourself if you were born to be a one-percenter. If so, then you're probably gonna get out of bed tomorrow and do the million and one things others won't.

About Me

I've worked too many jobs growing up that had no meaning and frankly the life before film-making is all a wash. I've never been tested the way I've been tested in this practice. And it's so not over.

I'm currently graduating with a B.F.A. in Creative Writing and a minor in Film. Was a thesis film away from a 2nd major in production and I'll probably always half regret not just doing it but without a matching education in micro-budget distribution and grass roots marketing, that 5-15 grand would have been a waste and a further burden added to my already steep student loans. Time to take it on the road.